Multi-trip shipping container



Nov. 4, 1958 Filed March 23, 1956 B. M. WILLIAMS MULTI-TRIP SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1" all;

United States Patent MULTI-TRIP SHIPPING CONTAINER Benjamin M. Williams, Clayton, Mo., assignor to Crown Zellerbach Corporation, San Francisco, Caiifi, a corporation of Nevada Application March 23, 1956, Serial No. 573,521

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-44 The invention relates to a one-piece container constructed of corrugated paperboard, solid fibreboard or other suitable material, which is particularly well adapted for storing and shipping bottled beverages and the like.

More specifically the invention provides a one-piece split cover container of the class described which is economical in the square footage of paperboard employed, sturdy yet simple in construction and which requires a minimum assembly expense at the point of use. The exterior of the container is entirely free of obstructions of any kind.

The container comprises opposed side and end walls connected together with half covers hinged to the top edges of the side walls. Closure flaps are provided on the bottom edges of the side and end walls which form a strong double bottom when folded right angularly inwardly and secured together. The end walls are provided with handholes in their upper portions and a reinforcing flap, with matching handholes, hinged to the upper edge folded inwardly and downwardly in flatwise relation to the inner face thereof, forming a smooth continuous fold on the upper edge of the end wall. The reinforced upper margin of the end walls above the handholes is of unimpaired strength, free of cover flange receiving slots, notches or other weakening devices.

The cover panels have downwardly folded side flanges connected in right angular relation to approximately half length end flanges hinged to the outer portion of the end edge on scores offset inwardly sufficiently to provide in the closed position of the covers, a friction fit of the end flanges with the inner face of the end wall reinforcing flaps. The remainder of the end edges of the cover panels extending to the hinge lines thereof, are offset outwardly sufficiently to rest uponthe top fold of the end wall, supporting the half covers in substantially coplanar relation to each other. The handholes extending through the end walls and their reinforcing flaps may preferably have flaps attached to their upper boundary folded upwardly in juxtaposed relation between the walls and reinforcing flaps, so that when the loaded container is grasped through a single handhole, as is the customary practice in handling and stacking, the strain is borne by five thicknesses of board including the cover panel end flanges, thus insuring a wide safety margin against outward deflection, tearing or other failure at the point of greatest stress.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide a sturdy one-piece shipping container with connected together side and end walls and a double bottom and half covers. The end walls are reinforced against outward deflection or failure by the combination of upper marginal flaps folded inwardly and downwardly flatwise against the inner face thereof and flanges on the sides of the cover panels secured in downward right angular relation to substantially half length end flanges in frictional contact with the inner face of the end wall reinforcing flaps and extending downwardly to the upper boundary of the handholes, whereby when the loaded container is grasped through one handhole, the strain will be applied Patented Nov. 4, 1958 to both plies of the end wall with their interposed handhole flaps and the end flanges of the half covers as well, thus distributing the strain over the upper margins of the end walls and the entire top structure ofthe container.

Another object is to provide a rectangularly shaped one-piece rigid shipping container with a double bottom and half covers having connected together side and end flanges positioned entirely within the container in the closed position, all outer surfaces of the container being smooth and entirely free of obstructions, adapting the container to palletizing by automatic palletizing machines.

Still another object is to provide a one-piece rigid ship ping container with opposed side and end walls, a double bottom and half covers having downwardly disposed side and end flanges connected together in right angular relation positioned entirely Within the container in the closed position thereof, a portion of the ends of the covers extending outwardly in substantially coplanar relation to the outer face of the end panels and resting upon the fold at the top of the end wall, thereby supporting the covers in their closed position in substantially coplanar relation to each other.

The invention also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and the combination of parts herein described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and wherein like numerals and symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank for forming a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank assembled in rectangular form with the reinforcing flaps partly in position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the container of Fig. 2 with the end wall reinforcing flaps in position, collapsed ready for shipment;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the progressive folding of the bottom panels;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the bottom panels and cover flanges secured together with the handhole flaps positioned between the end panel and reinforcing p;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the container of Fig.

5 showing one of the covers in closed position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the fully assembled container with the covers closed;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the container of Fig. 7 taken in the direction of the arrows 8-8;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the container of Fig. 7 taken in the direction of the arrows 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view taken in the direction of the arrows ill-10 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the container shown in Fig. 10 taken in the direction of the arrows 11-11.

The blank A, Fig. 1, is scored longitudinally at 20 and transversely at 21, defining side panels 22 and 23 and end panels 24 and 25. Slots 26, aligned with transverse scores 21 define the side edges of foldable bottom closure flaps 27 and 28 and in part the side edges of foldable end panel closure flaps 29 and 3t). Flaps 27 and 28 are integral and coextensive in length with side panels 22 and 23 respectively while bottom closure flaps 29 and 30 are integral and coextensive in length with end panels 24 and 25. Sealing flap 31 is foldable about score 21. Handholes 32 are provided in the upper portion of end panels 24 and 25 and may, if desired have handhole flaps 33 hinged to their upper boundaries.

Slits 34 extending from the upper edge of the blank downwardly approximately one half the length of the reinforcing flaps 36 and 37, thence expanding into an irregular shaped slot 35 extending to the fold line 20,

define the side edges of reinforcing flaps 36 and 37 hinged to the upper edges of end panels 24 and 25 respectively on score and the outer sides of ledges 45, side flanges 47, and tabs 48. Handholes 38 are located in reinforcing flaps 36 and 37 so that when these flaps are folded downwardly flatwise against end panels 24 and 25, they will be aligned with handholes 32. The handholes 38 may also be provided, if desired, with flaps 39 hinged to their upper boundaries. Half covers 40 and 41 are hinged to side walls 22 and 23 respectively on score 20. The outer side of the half covers and the hinge line of flanges 43 and 44 are defined by longitudinal scores 42. The outer end edges of supporting ledges 45 of the half covers 40 and 41 are offset outwardly from and in parallel relation to vertical scores 21. Score 46 which defines the fold line of end cover flanges 47 is oflset inwardly from and in parallel relation to vertical score 21 by an amount suflicient to position the flanges in frictional contact with flaps 36 and 37 in the closed position of the covers. Slots 48 define the end edges of flanges 43 and 44 and tabs 49 hinged to the end flanges 47 of the half covers 40 and 41.

A rapid and convenient method of assembling the container comprises folding the side panel 23 inwardly over the adjacent end panel 25, folding the end panel 24 over a part of the side panel 22 and securing the sealing flap 31 in overlapping relation to the inner face of ,end panel 24 by staples 50. The blank is then opened into rectangular shape as shown in Fig. 2. The reinforcing flaps 36 and 37 are folded inwardly and downwardly in flatwise relation to the end panels 24 and respectively, optionally with the handhole flaps 39 folded upwardly in juxtaposed relation between the end panels and their reinforcing flaps, and securing the reinforcing flaps in position by one or more staples 59. At this stage of the fabrication of the container, it may be readily collapsed to fiat form as shown in Fig. 3, ready for shipment.

At the point of use the collapsed container is opened into rectangular form and the bottom closure flaps 29 and folded inwardly in right angular relation to their adjacent panels, forming the inner bottom closure of,

the container and the closure flaps 27 and 28 folded inwardly in flatwise relation to the outer face of the inner closure, forming the outer bottom panel, and secured thereto by glue or other suitable means, all as illustrated in Fig. 4. The cover flanges 43 and 44 are folded right angularly downwardly and tabs 49 attached to end flanges 47, right angularly inwardly and attached to the inner face of the end margins of flanges 43 and 44, positioning the flanges 47 and flanges 43 and 44 in substantially right angular relation to each other and to the cover members as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be noted that the slots 43. which define the end edges of the cover flanges 43 and 44 are in vertical alignment with the inwardly offset hinge line 46 of the end flanges 47, thus limiting the length of flanges 43 and 44 with the right angularly attached end flanges 47 to substantially the space between the inner faces of the opposed reinforcing flaps 36 and 37. Thus the combined cover flange structure becomes frictionally enclosed between the reinforcing flaps 36 and 37 in the closed position of the covers. It is also to be noted that the portions of the end edges of the half covers and 41 between the termination of the end flanges 47 and the hinge score 20 are oflset outwardly from the vertical scores 21 defining the end edges of the side walls to provide outward extending ledges which rest upon the top fold of the end panels and support the covers in substantially coplanar relation in their closed position and the outer free edges of the supporting ledges 4-5 terminate in substantially the plane of the outer face of end panels 24 and 25. This relation of the cover structure to the end panel ssembly is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6.

In the completely assembled container with the covers closed as shown in Fig. 7, the entire exterior surface of the container is devoid of outward projections of any kind, insuring the greatest possible smooth surface for printing.

The container provides many advantages in addition to simplicity of construction and economy of material. For example, it may be substantially prefabricated by the manufacturer and shipped in knocked-down form, the assembly requirement at the point of use being reduced to glueing the bottom flaps together and attaching the connecting tabs 49 to the end flanges 43 and 44. As hereinbefore mentioned the usual practice in stacking loaded containers of the kind described, and in loading them in trucks and railway cars is to grasp them through one handholc whereby the entire load thrust is directed to the portion of the end panel above the handhole. The subject invention provides five-plies of paperboard over the precise area at which the thrust is centered. The end flanges of the cover members are so dimensioned that they terminate in alignment with the upper boundaries of the handholes and in flatwise relation to the end panel reinforcing flaps in the closed position of the covers, consequently they must also be grasped when lifting and handling the container. As a result of this construction, the handling strain at the vulnerable point of the cont'ainer is distributed between the reinforced upper margin of the end panels and the entire closure structure, thus providing a wide margin of safety against tearing of the handholes or other failure.

Still another advantage of the invention is that all danger of tearing or other damage to the containers when palletized by automatic palletizing machines is completely removed by the absence of exterior projectrons.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are illustrative and not restrictive and it is also to be understood that the invention may be susceptible of embodiment in other modified forms, and that all such modifications which are similar and are equivalent hereto come within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a one-piece paperboard shipping container having connected together opposed side and end walls the latter with handholes therein and having free upper ends, half cover members each connected along a fold line to the respective side walls, and a bottom;each cover member having side flanges thereon connected in downward rightangular relationship thereto, depending end flanges on each cover member hinged to an inwardly offset outer portion of the ends of the cover members, all flanges being positioned entirely within the container with the said end cover flanges extending downwardly in engagement with the inner faces of the end wall structure and with free edges of theflanges terminating substantially at the upper boundary of each of the respective handholes, the end cover flanges providing an additionalthickness of paperboard to be hand grasped for lifting the container, an inner end portion of each cover member adjacent the fold line thereof with each side wall being offset outwardly beyond the vertical plane of the end cover flanges, the said projecting portions being seated on the free upper ends of the end wall structure for supporting the half covers in horizontal coplanar relation.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,013,874 Whalley Sept. 10, 1935 2,324,905 Chambliss July 20, 1943 2,628,012 Goldsholl Feb. 10, 1953 2,648,484 Belsinger Aug. 11, 1953 2,746,668 Ringel May22, 1956 

